When War is Raging

War. Its reality is unavoidable in our fallen world. As rockets and airstrikes rain down and images of hostages, casualties, and global protests flood our screens, our emotions are overwhelmed.  

Horror. Anger. Hopelessness. Numbness. Fear.

In our volatile world, calamity striking close to home seems all too possible. Our desire is to push away from the bad news and escape to the mundane routine of daily life. We don’t want to be uncomfortable. We don’t want to be burdened. We don’t want our sleep interrupted. We want to forget about the terrible wars and suffering around the world. We just want the evil to stay away from us.

But the bad news doesn’t stop simply because we ignore it. Evil still advances. Lives continue to be lost. Wars and rumors of larger wars persist.

Jesus warned us these things would take place.

When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. - Mark 13:7-8

Wars, natural disasters, evil emboldened and advancing—all these terrible realities are playing out before our eyes. But even as we fixate on the struggles happening around the world, there is another conflict happening right now, just as real and even more pivotal. It is one we have also been warned about.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. - Ephesians 6:12

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. -1 Peter 5:8

We face a spiritual battle that is raging on the frontline of our hearts, in our families, our churches, and the communities in which we live. And just like the wars we can see with our eyes, this spiritual war, simultaneously being fought, cannot be ignored without costly results—evil advances unchecked, souls are lost, hope fades as the truth gets drowned out by the volume and intensity of lies.

What can we do? What should we do? What has Jesus called us to do?

Christians, we have been entrusted with the Truth that is the only hope for the world! The command has already been given to us the day Jesus ascended to heaven: “Go!” This is not our time to shrink back in selfishness, hide behind our busyness, or seal our lips from speaking what is true. We were ordained to live at this moment in history. The battle is real, the stakes are high, and the enemy wants you to be afraid and silent. We need to daily remind ourselves that we serve a King who has won the war. He has triumphed over our sin. He has crushed the power of our foe, Satan. And He has given us His very Spirit inside of us that equips us to boldly advance in the spiritual battle.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. - Colossians 2:13-15

If we truly believe this, then why do we cower? Why do we hold back charging into the battle powerfully proclaiming the stronghold-shattering truth?

In humility, we must examine our hearts in the light of God’s Word to answer these questions. Perhaps our problem isn’t that we don’t know these truths, but our inaction shows that we just don’t believe them. Maybe the treasures of this fading world are what truly hold our hearts, so we cling to them and disobey the command to “go.” Or it may be that we only see our weakness and the strength of the enemy rather than the untouchable might of our glorious God supporting us.

Many things can keep us sitting on the sidelines of the spiritual battle. But as each day carries us closer to the final hour of this earth and the imminent judgment of all evil, we must not back away in fear. We are God’s chosen instruments to carry the blazing hope of the good news of Jesus Christ into the dark world. Let’s cry out to God in fervent prayer for courage and strength. Let’s take our sword—God’s Word—off the shelf and hold firm to its priceless truths like our lives depend on it—because they do. Let’s turn our eyes heavenward and ask God to strip away all the earthly affections that hold us back from taking the gospel into the wars raging around us. The world may be heavy and filled with trouble. But take heart, Christian brothers and sisters, Jesus is with us and has overcome the world.

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace, in this world you will have trouble, but take heart. I have overcome the world. - John 16:33